Salvation in Islam

8/6/2019 Salvation in Islam

1/22

SALVATION

IN [email protected] complete explanation of salvation in

Islam

fine print included.


2/22

1

SALVATION IN ISLAM

Salvation: The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger

or great calamity.1 Every great monotheistic belief offers salvation of

one sort or another: Judaism, offers some concept of Abrahams

Bosom (which roughly equates to heaven) and Sheol (which roughly

equates to hell) although these ideas were irresolute and not

universally believed. The sacrificial system, and adherence to the

Mosaic Law, was the means by which man avoided Gods displeasure

and gained Gods acceptance. In Christianity, the need for salvation is

more pronounced, since hell is more established and intimidating: In

Christianity hell is an eternal, inescapable abode, where the damned

experience conscious suffering a literal reading of scripture supports

this. Thus, salvation is essential in Christianity as a way to escape hell

and enter heaven. The word, salvation is used only once in the

Quran, and not with connection to anything that might be termed an

Islamic version of salvation. However, although the word does not

appear in the Quran, salvation is a logical necessity in Islam. Islam

holds that heaven exists, and hell exists. In Islam, the descriptions ofhell are terrifying enough to make a clear, way of salvation an

essential requirement. (Besides this, salvation is at the heart of

religion. After all, If there is a God, and God created us and he gave us

one life and thereafter we would be judged and go either to heaven

or hell, then it is logical to view life as a test of some sort and that the

main purpose of religion (besides bringing glory to God) must allow us

to pass that test. That is the whole function of religion: to help us

negotiate life, in order to have a favourable afterlife (or to duly warn

us, if we are heading to a less favourable destination). Thus, any

religion that offers some version of heaven and hell, must offer us

some clear way of salvation, if it is to be considered a credible religion

and the true faith. In addition, if any religion wishes to assert that is

the only way to heaven, it ought to provide a way of salvation that is

in some way superior to that offered by other religions.)

1Websters Dictionary


3/22

2

FIRE, WATER AND CHAINS

Orthodox Christianity holds that hell is an eternal, inescapable place,

filled with conscious suffering. A literal reading of Christian scripture

supports this. Some overzealous dark-age monks and mystics (andstorytellers

2) interpolated certain details, such as the levels of hell

and the specific tortures of hell, yet none of these convoluted details

is found in Christian scripture. The Quran, by contrast, is filled with

graphic descriptions of the torments of hell, the sort of descriptions

youd expect to find depicted in medieval tomes and etchings: in hell,

the skin of the wicked is roasted and renewed continuously.3

In hell

the wicked gulp boiling water but cannot swallow it.4

In hell, the

wicked are covered in pitch and their faces are set alight.5 In hell, the

wicked will have scalding water poured over their heads, that melts

their insides and skins and they will be beaten with spiked metal

clubs.6 Further than that, theres a lot more fire, boiling water and

chains.7

The level of detail approaches that of the descriptions of

deviant Christians, the only difference being that these details are

recorded in holy writ, not in a deranged monks notebook. A cynical

person might think that Mohammad was influenced by these (at the

time) commonplace descriptions of hell, spread by fire-and-brimstone

Christian representatives, while not realising these were not truly

representative of Christian scripture. One would hope that these lurid

descriptions of hell are metaphorical, yet the level of detail (including

spiked metal clubs) makes a metaphorical reading unconvincing:

general descriptions of hell as fire or water could be metaphorical,

but tar on bodies and fire on faces seems too particular for metaphor.

2Dantes Inferno; Miltons Paradise Lost.3 Those who reject our Signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire: As often as their skins are roastedthrough, We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted inPower, Wise. (4:56)4 In front of such a one is Hell, and he is given, for drink, boiling fetid water. In gulps will he sip it, but

never will he be near swallowing it down his throat: death will come to him from every quarter, yet willhe not die: and in front of him will be a chastisement unrelenting. (14:16-17)5 And thou wilt see the sinners that day bound together in fetters;- Their garments of liquid pitch, andtheir faces covered with Fire; (14:49-50)6 These two antagonists dispute with each other about their Lord: but those who deny (their Lord),- for

them will be cut out a garment of Fire: over their heads will be poured out boiling water. With it will bemelted what is within their bodies, as well as (their) skins. In addition there will be maces of iron (to

punish) them. (22:19-21)7Read: 11:106; 25:11-14; 37:62-68; 55:43-44; 56:41-44; 67:6-8; 69:30-32


4/22

3

Fortunately, although the Quran describes hell as eternal8, hell is not

always described as inescapable. In Islamic theology every event is

subject to the will of God people only go to heaven if God wills it or

to hell if God wills it and there is some evidence that God mightrepeal an eternal sentence.

910Additionally, there is some evidence for

a purgatorial view of hell, where even believers enter a type of hell,

but are admitted to heaven after a time.11

Nevertheless, these verses

do not guarantee that anyone can escape hell or explain the

conditions for God removing a person from hell and, by all

indications, very few people will ever be removed from hell. So this is

a ray of hope but only a very minute one, which cannot be counted

on.

A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF SALVATION

The severity of hell in Islam makes the issue of salvation in Islam (how

to avoid hell) all the more crucial. However, the issue of salvation in

Islam is not all that clear not because the Quran is not clear but

because the Quranic view of salvation is frequently misunderstood,

taken out of context and misrepresented. Opinions on the matter are

often wildly divergent and slipshod and it is difficult to find a

complete, unified explanation of this topic anywhere. A common

problem, surveying the many contradictory views of salvation, is a

8On the other hand, for those who fear their Lord, are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath; thereinare they to dwell (for ever),- a gift from Allah; and that which is from Allah is the best (bliss) for therighteous.(3:198)But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall soon admit to Gardens, with rivers

flowing beneath,- their eternal home: Therein shall they have spouses purified: We shall admit them toshades, cool and ever deepening. (4:57)

Say: Is that best, or the eternal Garden, promised to the righteous? For them, that is a reward as wellas a final abode. (25:15)Enter ye therein in Peace and Security; this is a Day of Eternal Life! (50:34)Taste ye then - for ye forgot the Meeting of this Day of yours, and We too will forget you - taste ye theChastisement of Eternity for your (evil) deeds! (32:14)Such is the requital of the enemies of Allah,- the Fire: therein will be for them the Eternal Home: a (fit)

requital, for that they were wont to reject Our Signs. (41:28)9Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: There will be for them therein (nothing but) the heavingof sighs and sobs: They will dwell therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as thy

Lord willeth: for thy Lord is the (sure) accomplisher of what He planneth. And those who are blessedshall be in the Garden: They will dwell therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except asthy Lord willeth: a gift without break. (11:106-108)10One day will He gather them all together, (and say): O ye assembly of Jinns! Much (toll) did ye takeof men. Their friends amongst men will say: Our Lord! we made profit from each other: but (alas!) we

reached our term - which thou didst appoint for us. He will say: The Fire be your dwelling -place: youwill dwell therein for ever, except as Allah willeth. for thy Lord is full of wisdom and knowledge.(6:128)11Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded," (8:29


5/22

4

disregard for context. Often, a small minority of Quranic verses or

hadith are selected, which scratch one persons theological itch, and

thereafter little or no regard is given to what other verses say (on the

same topic or related topics) or how the verses should be interpretedin light of the Quranic revelation as a whole. No attempt is made to

identify, resolve or explain any difficulties which arise between this

innovated interpretation and the rest of scripture. Thus, when it

comes to salvation, certain well-intentioned Muslims frequently

emphasise the mercy of God and the function of repentance, while

not mentioning the various conditions that the Quran attaches to

each. However, if we wish to properly represent any doctrine we

must acknowledge that any doctrine must be constituted by the sum

total of verses (or ayat) on the subject, not by only a few convenient

verses. All these verses together should present a global picture of

the doctrine (Islamic salvation). Additionally, any conflict arising

between individual verses or groups of verses ought to be resolved

either by reconciling the verses or as a last resort by abrogation,

where it is applicable. It is only by considering scripture, in their

totality, and resolving any problems that arise, that a complete,

coherent and robust doctrine can emerge.

MERCY IN ISLAM

There are verses in the Quran, which describe God as merciful and

willing to forgive sins, without attaching any conditions to this

mercy.12

,13

Thus, some Muslims choose to focus on these verses and

to misrepresent Allah as a God who forgives easily and Islam as a

religion that is reasonable in its salvation requirements. However, ifwe wish to understand the Islamic concept of grace or mercy, we

cannot only look at one or two select verses, we must examine all

relevant verses, to form a complete doctrine. If we do so, we will find

that the Islamic notion of mercy does not resemble the Western (or

Christian) notion of mercy: in the West mercy is regarded as,

12) But Allah will choose for his special mercy whom he will - for Allah is lord of grace abounding,"

(2:105)13Say: "O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)!Despair not of the Mercy of God, verily, God forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.(39:53)


6/22

5

unmerited, unearned favour. Thus, it would be oxymoronic to

describe mercy as, deserved or earned. However, in Islam we find

the opposite: obedience to God and the prophet (which entails

performing other good works) are prerequisites to receivingmercy.

14,15

,16

,17

Thus, in Islam, works precede mercyand forgiveness

is a reward given only to the obedient. Thus, in a sense, the sinner,

earns Gods mercy, but perhaps only in the way that a worker

earns a salary that is too generous and (as in all things) Allah can

choose to bestow or not to bestow the generous reward. Beyond this,

the Quran makes it clear that there are some people that God does

not forgive: God does not forgive, people in guilt and

unbelievers.18,19 Therefore, to understand when God grants mercy,

we must first understand what it means to be obedient to God and

the Messenger (and the good works that this entails). Thus, the

Muslim, who wants to be assured of his salvation, cannot rely on

mercy, but he must first understand obedience, and decide whether

he has been obedient or not. In other words, the Muslim, to receive

mercy and hopefully salvation, must understand and apply the

Muslim doctrine of, salvation by works. (This would seem to make

the Islamic notion of mercy is somewhat irrelevant with regards to

salvation or assurance of salvation.) In short, the Islamic notion of

mercy does not provide the Muslim with any eternal security or

assurance of salvation. If the Muslim desires (mercy) security, he

must know and understand how to achieve salvation by works.

14 "O you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and speak the right word, He will put yourdeeds into a right state for you, and forgive you your faults; and whoever obeys Allah and His Apostle,he indeed achieves a mighty success," (33:70-71, M.H. Shakir).15 ". . . But if ye obey Allah and his messenger, he will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful," (49:14). "If you obey GOD and His messenger, He will not put any of your

works to waste. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful," (49:14)16 "And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more out of His grace; and (as

for) the unbelievers, they shall have a severe punishment," (42:26, M.H. Shakir).17 "O you who believe! If you are careful of (your duty to) Allah, He will grant you a distinction and doaway with your evils and forgive you; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace," (8:29, M.H. Shakir).

18If they accuse thee of falsehood, say: Your Lord is full of mercy all- embracing; but from people inguilt never will His wrath be turned back.(6:147; Cf. 33:43)19 "And He answers those who believe and do good deeds, and gives them more out of His grace; and (as

for) the unbelievers, they shall have a severe punishment," (42:26, M.H. Shakir)


7/22

6

REPENTANCE IN ISLAM

Similarly, there are verses that state that repentance will cause God

to forgive a sinners sins.20

Thus, certain exuberant Muslims advertise

repentance as a cure-all miracle salve, which can expunge any and allsins. However, if we are sincere, we must examine these and other

verses and discover if there are any conditions attached to effective

repentance (repentance which achieves forgiveness of sins). Even a

cursory reading of the Quran reveals, first, that repentance is only

effective for those who have sinned in ignorance.21

,22

Second, we

discover that repentance is only effective for those who are

sincere23

,24

and for those who realise the ugliness of their deeds.

Thirdly, we discover that this repentance (for believers) must be

swift25

; that is, people cannot repent for sins committed long ago.

Fourthly, we discover that for repentance to be effective, it must be

followed by lifelong obedience. (Presumably the person who repents

of the same sin continuously is not sincere in his repentance.)26

,27

Notice, the scripture does not say that repentance must be followed

by five minutes of obedience until one repents again; it stresses

lifelong obedience, until death. (This also means that a person can

only know that their repentance is successful at the endof their life

this is one reason that repentance does not provide eternal security.)

Thus, repentance is not a continuous get-out-of-jail-free card. It is a

20 "O ye who believe! Turn unto Allah in sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from

you your evil deeds and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, on the day when Allahwill not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run before them and ontheir right hands; they will say: Our Lord! Perfect our light for us, and forgive us! Lo! Thou art Able todo all things," (66:8-9)

21When those come to thee who believe in Our Signs, say: Peace be on you: Your Lord hath inscribedfor Himself (the rule of) Mercy: verily, if any of you did evil in ignorance, and thereafter repented, andamended (his conduct), lo! He is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (6:54)

22 "God accepts the repentance of those who have sinned in ignorance and who realizing the ugliness oftheir deed swiftly turn toward Him in repentance," (3:16)

23 "O ye who believe! Turn unto Allah in sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit fromyou your evil deeds and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, on the day when Allahwill not abase the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their light will run before them and ontheir right hands; they will say: Our Lord! Perfect our light for us, and forgive us! Lo! Thou art Able to

do all things," (66:8-9)24 "God accepts the repentance of those who have sinned in ignorance and who realizing the ugliness oftheir deed swiftly turn toward Him in repentance," (3:16)

25 "God accepts the repentance of those who have sinned in ignorance and who realizing the ugliness oftheir deed swiftly turn toward Him in repentance," (3:16)

26And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates nonein worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till hisdeath). (20:82)

27 Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), theirpast will be forgiven. (8:38)


8/22

7

(just about) once-off deal, offered to those who sinned in ignorance

and it must be followed by lifelong obedience. Repentance for

Muslims is comparable to the repentance offered to unbelievers,

which is intended as a once-off concession to expiate the sins thatunbelievers had committed prior to conversion. Naturally, Muslims

will argue (against their own scripture) that repentance is more

reasonable than this, however, suffice it to say that repentance is not

the one-way ticket to paradise that some Muslim people make it out

to be. Repentance, therefore, does not guarantee eternal security.

Repentance is powerful but it comes with conditions: First, a person

must fulfil all the conditions of effective repentance (which are not

easy to fulfil) and, second, a person must follow up repentance with

lifelong obedience: thus, repentance directs us (just as mercy did) to

the necessity of salvation by works.

MERCY OR WORKS?

One would be hard pressed to find any true mercy in Islam

whatsoever; that is, and mercy which is not, paid for by obedience

of one sort or another. This should not be regarded as a fault, for at

least Islam is remarkable consistent in its demand for good works.

Some would be tempted to argue that the constant mentions of God

being merciful and oft-forgiving are misleading. However, a person

cannot impose their definition of mercy on another religion: mercy in

Islam can only be defined by its use in the Quran, not by a dictionary

definition or anyones personal feeling. (If there is one unfortunate

side-effect of the counterintuitive nature of, earned mercy it is that

it causes the Muslim to continually look for mercy, half-expecting it tobe lavished on them indiscriminately, only later to remember that all

mercy must be earned. This paradox may get the Muslim in a loop:

repeating the same knee-jerk optimism, only to be brought back to

reality.) Irrespective, the fact is that all mercy in Islam can be said to

fall under, good deeds annul bad deeds, principle, and there is no

need to have any unearned mercy in Islam (unearned mercy poses

certain difficulties, as we shall see). Mercy, we are repeatedly told, is

granted to the obedient, hence, mercy falls under the principle, gooddeeds annul bad deeds. Repentance is only accepted when followed


9/22

8

by lifelong obedience. Hence, again, repentance coincides with the

principle, good deeds annul bad deeds. In fact, there is no need for

the Muslim to ever say that God grants any unearned mercy, where

no good deeds were present to pre-empt mercy. However, if theMuslim desires to say that God sometimes grants mercy, irrespective

of good works, the Muslim has a serious problem: mercy is not

justice. Instead, mercy is the absence of justice. Therefore, if God

grants mercy, without payment (in the form of good deeds) then he is

not perfectly just, because justice is not done in that instance. People

believe that being merciful is a good thing (often because they need

mercy so badly themselves) but mercy is not justice. The source of

(justified) mercy in Judaism was animal sacrifice; the just penalty is

executed on a scapegoat. The source of (justified) mercy in

Christianity is the cross of Christ; the just penalty for sin was borne by

Christ. The source of (justified) mercy, in Islam, is good deeds, and

outside of good deeds no other source is mentioned. Islam has no

source of just mercy, besides good works. Thus, the Muslim cannot

step out of the, salvation by works, framework or Allah will become

unjust. For some Muslims this is not a problem, because they believe

that God is above every law. However, Muslims who want to call

Allah good or just (expecting that to mean something) and Muslims

who want others to believe that Allah is good or just, cannot sweep

this problem aside so casually. Thus, either salvation in Islam is

entirely by works, or God is not just.

SALVATION THROUGH WORKS

All avenues in our search for salvation in Islam lead us to a singledestination: salvation through works. (The notion of works entails

believing certain things and performing certain actions.) Therefore,

we must ask, what works must a Muslim perform in order to be

accepted into paradise? The importance of obedience to Allah and

Mohammad is established in the Quran beyond doubt.28

,29

,30

,31

,32

,33

28Those are limits set by Allah. those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardenswith rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein (for ever) and that will be the supreme achievement. Butthose who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, toabide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment. (4:13-14)


10/22

9

The importance of belief is also emphasised.34

,35

Some of the beliefs

required are, to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels,

and the Book, and the Messengers. (2:177)36

,37

,38

Belief in the

Prophet is continuously stressed.39

In terms of works, the Muslimmust be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity (2:110),

complete the Hajj or Umrah. (2:196) perform righteous deeds

(2:277) be patient and constant, be humble, be chaste and must fast

and remember Allah. (33:35) Orthodox Islam has codified these

beliefs and actions in the form of the five pillars of Islam: the creed,

daily prayers, almsgiving, fasting and pilgrimage. Having outlined the

various beliefs and practices required for salvation in Islam, it will be

useful to explain how these good works help to achieve salvation.

First, In Islam good deeds are weighed and if a person has enough

they go to heaven and if they dont, they dont.40

,41

,42

,43

(The notion

29All who obey Allah and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- ofthe prophets (who teach), the Sincere (lovers of Truth), the martyrs, and the Righteous (who do good):Ah! How beautiful is there fellowship!30Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil): if ye do turn back, know ye that it is Our

Messenger's duty to proclaim (the message) in the clearest manner. (5:92)31O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you.

If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allahand the Last Day: That is best, and most suitablefor final determination.(4:59)32Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and beware (of evil): if ye do turn back, know ye that it is OurMessenger's duty to proclaim (the message) in the clearest manner. (5:92)33He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah. But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch overthem.(4:80)34 That is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe, but those who reje ct Allah have noprotector. (47:11)35In the end We deliver Our messengers and those who believe: Thus is it fitting on Our part that Weshoulddeliver those who believe! (10:103)36The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith.Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. We make nodistinction (they say) between one and another of His messengers. And they say: We hear, and we

obey: (we seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys. (2:285)

37O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger, and the scripture which He hath sent to HisMessenger and the scripture which He sent to those before (him). Any who denieth Allah, His angels,His Books, His Messenger, and the Day of Judgment, hath gone far, far astray. (4:136)38Be ye foremost (in seeking) Forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden (of Bliss), the width whereofis as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers: that isthe Grace of Allah, which He bestows on whom He pleases: and Allah is the Lord of Grace abounding.(57:21)39 Read 3:132; 4:13-14; 4:59; 4:80; 5:92; 9:29; 24:51; 24:54; 33:36; 48:1040 "Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy, they will be successful. But those whose balance

is light, will be those who have lost their souls; in hell will they abide," (23:102-103).41 The balance that day will be true (to a nicety): those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will

prosper: Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfullytreated Our Signs. (7:8-9)42 "And We set a just balance for the Day of Resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. Though it

be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We bring it. And We suffice for reckoners," (21:47).43 "They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in theHereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight,"(18:105).


11/22

10

of good deeds outweighing bad deeds is nowhere mentioned in the

Quran.) Second, in Islam good deeds erase bad deeds.44

,45

(Although

good deeds are rewarded more generously46

than bad deeds are

punished, the Quran does not anywhere state that one good deedmight erase more than one bad deed.) Third, to expiate certain sins,

the Quran prescribes certain actions.47

,48

Thus, to enter paradise, the

Muslim has two broad aims: erasing his sins and accumulating

enough good works these aims can sometimes be achieved

simultaneously.

WORKS AND ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

Thus, with a better understanding of salvation by works, we must

again ask: can the Muslim ever know whether they are saved on the

basis of performing good deeds? Several considerations prevent the

Muslim from being assured of their salvation: first, each of the

prescribed beliefs and pillars of Islam are difficult in and of

themselves and are often accompanied by certain conditions thus, a

life of steadfast obedience is not easy to achieve. Second, many of the

pillars, and conditions surrounding them are not sufficiently clear

(and rely on hadith traditions for clarification) and this adds to the

overall lack of assurance. Third, even someone who does not do

wrong, and obeys the Quran perfectly might not admitted into

heaven, if their balance of good deeds is too light (and we are not

told what the benchmark is). Forth, it is nowhere said how many sins,

or what type of sins, will prevent a Muslim from entering paradise

thus any Muslim (no matter how faithfully they observe certain

44Lo, Good deeds annul ill deeds. (11:114)45If ye disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if ye conceal them, and make them reach those

(really) in need, that is best for you: It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah iswellacquainted with what ye do. (2:271)46Allah is never unjust in the least degree: If there is any good (done), He doubleth it, and giveth fromHis own self a great reward. (4:40)47 O ye who believe! Kill not game while in the sacred precincts or in state of pilgrimage. If any of youdoth so intentionally, the compensation is an offering, brought to the Kba, of a domestic animal

equivalent to the one he killed, as adjudged by two just men among you; or by way of atonement, the feeding of the indigent; or its equivalent in fasts: that he may taste of the penalty of his deed. Allah forgives what is past: for repetition Allah will punish him. For Allah is Exalted, and Lord ofRetribution.(5:95; Cf. 2:54, 177, 271; 4:16; 4:92; 24:2; 42:40-43; 58:2-4)48 Allah will not call you to account for what is void in your oaths, but He will call you to account for

your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food ofyour families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for threedays. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah makeclear to you His signs, that ye may be grateful. (5:89)


12/22

11

duties) might not achieve salvation, if they have committed too many

bad deeds (again, we are not told what the benchmark is). Fifth, there

is no complete or thorough, table of conversions that details which

good deeds will atone for specific bad deeds, and in the absence ofsuch a device, assurance is impossible. Reasonably, a really bad deed

would require a lot of good deeds to atone for it. However, who is to

say that lying is not a really bad deed and that a thousand or more

good deeds are required to atone for it? Thus, we see the absolute

necessity of a table of conversions, of some sort. Without it, the,

good deeds annul bad deeds idea is practically useless. In summary,

we do not know how many (or what type of) good deeds the Muslim

requires to enter, or how many (or what type of) bad deeds they

require to be banned, and we do not have a table of conversions that

would help to sort this mess out. Thus, overall, no Muslim can be

even slightly assured of their salvation (even though God is oft-

merciful and oft-forgiving (to the deserving)). Perhaps this is why

certain prominent Muslims have died expressing doubts as to their

own salvation. Abu Bakr reportedly told Aisha on his deathbed, Oh

my daughter, this is the day of my release and of obtaining of my

desertif gladness it will be lasting; if sorrow it will never cease.

Umar, Abu Bakrs successor expressed similar doubts of his own

salvation.49

THE FIVE PILLARS

The word, pillar, suggests a stable structure, which supports a roof

or some other edifice. The five pillars of Islam, seems to denote an

impressive, monolithic structure, such as the Parthenon or a greatmosque or cathedral. However, we have mentioned earlier (in

passing), that these, pillars are not as secure as the wording

suggests. For instance the creed entails that Muslims recite, There is

no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. Yet this phrase

is not found in the Quran. The closest we come to this phrase is,

49...I am none other than as a drowning man who sees possibility of escape with life, and hopeth for it,but feareth he may die and lose it, and so plungeth about with hands and feet. More desperate than the

drowning man is he who at the sight of heaven and hell is buried in the vision ... Had I the whole Eastand West, gladly would I give up all to be delivered from this awful terror that is hanging over me. Andfinally touching his face against the ground he cried aloud: Alas for Umar, and alas for the mother ofUmar, if it should not please the Lord to pardon me.


13/22

12

There is no God but Allah. (And nowhere are we told to recite this

verse in particular.) Additionally, orthodox Muslims believe that it is

heresy to recite the creed from the Quran (as opposed to the

orthodox creed).50

Regarding Muslim prayers, the various traditionsand rituals that predominate the prayers in orthodox Islam are not

found anywhere in the Quran. Additionally, some groups hold that

the Quran only describes three times of prayer, while orthodoxy

requires five separate prayer times. Certain hadith traditions evolved

to excuse Muslims from saying their prayers and to minimise the

stringency of this pillar, however, the Quran does not support these

traditions. Rather the Quran singles out, those who miss prayers, as

one of the features of a group heading for destruction.51 Regarding

almsgiving, Muslims usually give 2.5% of their wealth, however, this

percentage is not mentioned in the Quran. It would be a shame if

Muslims reached the day of judgement and discovered that wasnt

enough! Regarding the pilgrimage, the Quran states that the

pilgrimage is compulsory for those that can find their way. (Notice,

the verse does not say, for those who can afford it.) Certain hadith

and Sunna traditions state that the pilgrimage only needs to be

completed once, and only by those who have the means to do so.

However, the Quran makes no such concessions. Muslims are

repeatedly told to do only what is within their means, however, what

is in their means is debatable. (For instance, walking is within most

Muslim people means.) In addition, the pillars are not mentioned

anywhere explicitly; the Muslims religious obligations are nowhere

grouped under five neat categories, which will assure them of

salvation. This is significant seeing as there are many injunctions inthe Quran that are not mentioned in the five pillars, and many

restrictions that are not mentioned in the five pillars. Thus, it would

be foolish for the Muslim to believe that these pillars alone will get

them to heaven, since there are many things that the Muslim is

instructed to do that are not in the pillars, and many things which the

Muslim is forbidden from doing which are not in the pillars. The five

50 Wikipedia, Criticism of the Quran51 But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, willthey face Destruction.(19:59)


14/22

13

pillars might represent the core of what it means to be a Muslim but

the pillars do not constitute a complete guide to heaven. (After all,

the five pillars are remarkably self-serving. Even almsgiving is

generally held to be only for poor Muslims, and although some of thepillars are often accompanied by charitable giving, the primary

function of the other five pillars is to honour Allah and for personal

and corporate spiritual development. Thus, it would seem strange for

paradise to be awarded purely on the basis of insular religious

rituals.) Overall, the five pillars have one or two cracks and chips (not

to be underestimated), which make the integrity of these structures

doubtful. How much eternal security can the Muslim derive from

these pillars, which themselves are uncertain? After all, it is not as

though these cracks are insignificant, some of these uncertainties

could make the difference between heaven and hell.

HADITH AND SUNNA TRADITIONS

Many orthodox Muslims place their hope of eventual salvation in

certain hadith and Sunna traditions, which satisfy their need for

eternal security. Many traditions evolved in response to the

difficulties associated with the five pillars of Islam (above). Many

traditions supply details that are not found in the bare-bones,

fragmented descriptions given in the Quran: the five prayers and

modes of prayer are all related in greater detail in the hadith than in

the Quran; the various rules surrounding the pilgrimage and the fast

are found in the Sunna but not the Quran, etc. Other traditions

attempt to solve the problem of eternal assurance in a more direct

way. For instance, some traditions relate that God might choosegrace and mercy instead of strict justice. Other traditions express that

Mohammad himself will intercede on behalf of believers and that his

intercession will be successful. Some traditions relate Gods

willingness to forgive sins and how easily bad deeds are erased by

good deeds, etc. Concerning these traditions, notice, first, that they

clearly highlight the inadequacy of the Quran as a single source of

guidance, despite the fact that the Quran describes itself as,

complete, and, fully detailed. (6:11-116; 7:52) Thus, the Msulimsreliance on these traditions arguably contradicts and undermines the


15/22

14

Quran. Second, notice that whereas the Quran is supposedly perfect,

the sunna and hadith are not held to be inerrent. Muslim scholars

concede that that certain traditions were invented to give credence

to certain legal theories, etc. Additionally, many traditions contradicteach other and the Quran.

In their earliest stages, the hadith were muddled and totally unregulated,

making the authentication almost impossible *+ in less than two centuries

after Mohammed's death, there were already some 700,000 at the end

circulated throughout the Muslim lands, the majority of which were

unquestionably fabricated by individuals who sought to legitimise their own

particular beliefs and practices by connecting them with the prophet *+ by the

ninth century, there were so many false hadith circulating through the

community that Muslim legal scholars somewhat whimsically classified them

into categories: lies told for material gain and lies told for ideological

advantage.52

The hadith and Sunna are important sources of history. No doubt, any

of the sayings recorded in them are essentially correct. Even the most

trusted hadith collections have been shown to contain unreliable

traditions. Although they are useful guides, they are not something togamble your soul on. However, even assuming that these traditions

are true, the Muslim still has to justify their use of the Sunna and

hadith. Muslims ordinarily justify this thinking on the basis that the

Quran instructs them repeatedly to, believe in God and the

Messenger. Believe in the prophet, is taken to refer to

Muhammads other utterances found in the Sunna and hadith.

However, notice, that this connection is tenuous: it is not certain that,

trust the messenger, means, trust everything the messenger says,or, trust in something besides the Quran. If this connection is not

certain, then no assurance can be derived from these sources. It

would be foolish and irresponsible for the Muslim to place their

eternal hope in sources that contradict the Quran, which are

unreliable and which are not specifically endorced by the Quran.

Moreover, even if we excuse these criticisms, it seems inexcusable for

the Quran to ommit so many important details relating to the all-

52 Aslan, Reza. No God but God. Arrow books. 2006. p. 67-8


16/22

15

important topic: salvation especially seeing as hell In Islam is so

terrifying and salvation, ipso facto, is so important. Thus, these

traditions fail to provide eternal security and instead the Muslim is

left only with a glaring admission of the inadequacy of the Quran, andthe Islamic doctrine of salvation. Thus, what was intented to establish

assurance creates only moreseriousdoubt.

DO ONLY WHAT YOU CAN DO

The Quran reassures Muslims that they need only do what is within

their ability.53

This might be reassuring, if was not for the vagueness

of the phrase, within their ability. For what a person is capable of,

depends on how hard they push themselves. Thus, within their

ability (with regards to any individual) encompasses every level of

human effort, from the most slothful, to the most frantic endeavours.

Thus, to say, do what is within your ability, is a remarkably vacuous,

unhelpful epithet. Besides this, any relaxation, with regards to doing

good works is diametrically opposed to success in a works-based-

salvation. Admittance into heaven, in Islam, is explicitly stated to be a

matter of quantity (perhaps combined with quality) of good works

(Those whose measure is heavy). Again, it is only the most pious

(the most sincere, most diligent, etc.) that will be snatched from the

fire. Thus, the more good quality (sincere, etc.) works, the better, and

the less good works, the worse we will fair at judgement. Any neglect

of duty, for any reason and failure to do ones utmost for God, mig ht

have eternal and infernal consequences. Thus, any relaxation, with

respect to performing good deeds, may lead to perdition. The two

principles are contradictory: one verse tells us to do more, the othertells us to do less. The most prudent decision is always to do more, to

stay on the safe side. (Moreover, the concept of the, greater jihad

describes the struggle or fight for righteousness (fight in the way of

Allah) and the injunction to struggle for righteousness is directly

opposed to the, do only what you can, proposition.) Thus, No

comfort or security can be gained from such verses.

53No burden do Weplace on any soul, but that which it can bear. (7:42)


17/22

16

A GUARANTEE OF HELL

If there was not already enough doubt surrounding the Islamic

doctrine of salvation, and assurance of salvation, no treatment of the

Islamic doctrine would be complete without mentioning the thornyQuranic verse which emphatically states that all Muslim people go

directly to hell (the burning fire) and that only somepiousMuslims

might be saved.54

,55

,56

,57

(I include several translations.) Notice (1)

that all Muslims (barring none) go to hell (2) that hell is a harsh

environment; not just fire but burning fire, (in case we thought

the fire was just for show) (3) that a limited number (some) are

saved (4) that only the most pious are saved (5) that they are not

guaranteedsalvation (might be saved). Moreover, notice how Allah

stamps his authority on the verse, saying, This is an inevitable decree

of your Lord. As one might expect, traditions developed to moderate

the obvious horror of the literal meaning of this verse. Thus, it was

theorised that this verse does not describe hell but a sort of purgatory

that all Muslims needed to quickly and painlessly pass through in

order to enter paradise. In response, notice, first, that all the

criticisms concerning the use of traditions to supplement the Quran

also apply in this case (see previous paragraph). Second, notice that

this verse clearly emphasises the harshness of the environment and

the fact that only a limited number will be saved; thus, any tradition

that relates the mildness of the environment and that many (or all)

will be saved is, at least, deflating and, at most, contradicting the

plain meaning of the text. The verse is not meant to be reasonable

and it is dangerous to attempt to make it so. Thus, the Muslim has

even more reason to doubt their salvation, and it becomesincreasingly obvious that the Muslim cannot possibly have any

54 There will be no one of you who will not enter it (Hell). This was an inevitable decree of your Lord.Afterwards he MAY save some of the pious, God-fearing Muslims out of the burning fire. (19:71-72)55 Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have

fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter paradise, he indeed is triumphant.The life of this world is but comfort of illusion. (Pickthall)56 No one of you there is, but he shall go down to it. That for thy Lord is a thing decreed, determined.Then We shall deliver these that were God-fearing; and the evildoers We shall leave there, hobbling ontheir knees. (A.J. Arberry)

57There is not one of you but will pass over it (Hell); this is with your Lord; a Decree which must beaccomplished. Then We shall save those who use to fear Allah and were dutiful to Him. And We shallleave the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.) therein (humbled) to their knees (in Hell).(Muhsin and Hilali)


18/22

17

assurance of salvation (this verse is arguably intended to undermine

the Muslims confidence.) Rather, the Muslim is assured of

damnation and after some time God mightdecide to pluck them out,

if they have been good and depending on how he feels. This is theinevitable decree of Allah and it is not anyones place to try to

undermine the inevitable decree of God.

A GUARANTEE OF HEAVEN

There is only one way, given in the Quran, whereby the Muslim can

gain complete assurance of their salvation: full assurance is given to

those who leave their homes and die in the cause of Allah58

and

those that kill and are killed, in Allahs way, are guaranteed heaven

(the garden) by a binding promise.59

Thus, a religion with a stomach-

turning version of hell, and a complete lack of assurance of salvation,

offers one foolproof ticket to paradise: murder or martyrdom. One

has to question the wisdom of offering one (violent) way to heaven to

a multitude of people who are desperate to get there and who see no

other way. Intentionally or unintentionally, this verse is a perpetual

inspiration towards violent conflict and martyrdom, which is the only

sure pathway to heaven (and terrorism cant be far behind). Whether

this is a right or wrong application of these verses, the fact remains

that many people willinterpret these verses as an inspiration for war

and it is reasonable to think that a wise God would have foreseen

such a calamity and prevented it. Thus, either God means this verse

to inspire violence (which is a terrible thought) or God did it by

accident (an even more terrible thought). The reader may make up

his or her own mind as to which alternative is more likely.

CONTINUITY OF REVELATIONS

In the Torah (the revelation of Moses) God authorised a system of

animal sacrifice. The sins of the people were imputed to the beast

58Those who leave their homes in the Cause of Allah, and are then slain or die,- on them will Allahbestow verily a goodly Provision. Truly Allah is He Who bestows the best provision. Verily He will admitthem to a place with which they shall be well pleased: for Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.(22:58-59)

59 Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall havethe garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him inthe Taurat [Torah] and the Injeel [Gospels] and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenantthan Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement.


19/22

18

and the animal was killed in their stead. Thus, God received,

payment (in blood) by death for sins committed. The penalty for

the sin being committed is still executed, but on a scapegoat instead

of the offender. In Christianity, Christ (being the Son of God) becamethe sacrifice to end all sacrifices an infinite sacrifice, of infinite

innocence, for all people, for all time. Thus, the sin is paid for (in

blood) by death. (Notice the continuity between Judaism and

Christianity: Christianity stays true to (and develops) the Jewish

system. Christians believe that the previous system prepared people

to accept Christianity and foreshadowed the Christian system; thus

Christianity fulfils the Jewish system, rather than abolishing or

contradicting it. Islam claims to be the final revelation, in a long line

of revelations, therefore, how does Islam continue or develop

previous messages? Muslims offer good deeds to atone for bad

deeds. Perhaps this is progressive no animal is slaughtered and God

does not demand violent satisfaction. The problem with this is that

the more progressive the Islamic system is, the more backwards the

previous revelations were, and God was the author of these also (the

Jewish sacrificial system is confirmed in the Quran, although the

current Christian system is believed to be corrupt.) That leaves Allah

demanding the slaughter of millions helpless animals for a few

thousand years, when he really did not have to. This is ultimately a

problem of Gods character: for God to use two unrelated methods of

salvation makes God appear inconsistent and unsure of the best

method to use. For God to abandon one method, in favour of a

superior method, makes it appear that God made the mistake of

using an inferior method. Thus, the Muslim must explain the disparityor continuity between the Jewish, Christian and Islamic moral

systems, while not insulting the systems that Allah previously

instituted. The Muslim must explain what the all-wise Gods perfect

plan was with regards to salvation, and how and why he unfolded this

plan. The fact that this problem of continuity has not already been

addressed is a serious problem for Islamic thought, since salvation is

such a crucial element of any faith. One must assume that such an

explanation was not attempted because it is difficult or impossible


20/22

19

and because it highlights a serious problem in Islamic thought, which

many Muslims would rather not think about.

CONCLUSION

Mercy is misleading; its only granted to the obedient. Repentance is

not as bountiful as some would have us believe. Good deeds are

required to escape hell, but these good deeds, and how to perform

them are not clear; the five pillars are not worthy of so sturdy a

name. We do not know how many good works ensure us of heaven or

how many bad works consign us to hell. Thus, even if we do all these

questionable works, to the best of our ability, we might not do them

well enough or often enough to reach the pass mark or to escape

out sins. Good deeds cancel bad deeds. But which good deeds cancel

which bad deeds? The Quran does not say. The result of these

omissions is complete uncertainty: The most pious Muslim might not

be saved; the most wicked Muslim might not be damned, depending

on these unanswered questions. With these facts in doubt no person

can have any reasonable expectation of going to heaven or hell. The

most fallen Muslim has as much security (or lack of it) as the most

pious Muslim; they are both equally in the dark. The most we can do

is the best we can do, and well have to hope that thats enough, even

though we have no idea. Its like a test with no pass mark, no mark

allocation and no method of marking that we know of. Why would

anyone convert to a religion that offers not one iota of eternal

security? The prospect of rigorous lifelong obedience, with not even

the smallest reasonable expectation of heaven, is not all that enticing.

The vast majority of Muslims might well be going to hell and whenthey get there they will not even be able to say that they have been

mislead or that they had any reason to expected otherwise. In fact,

every Muslim is assured of hell, while only the most pious mightbe

saved. The only sure way to heaven is, kill or be killed. Every person

with a conscience ought to worry about such incitements to violence

and ought to reject their divinity. Why would anyone believe in a

religion, which offers no hope of salvation and contains continuous

inspirations for suicidal/homicidal fanatics? Out of desperation,Muslims turn to dubious traditions, which prove the Qurans


21/22

20

insufficiency. Every Muslim who consults far-fetched extra-Quranic

sources, confirms every word of this essay through their actions.

Added to this, the last revelation has no continuity with earlier

revelations, which has implications for Gods character. This furtherweakens Islams already strained credibility. When it comes to

salvation, Islam fails to deliver or to convince. Thus, due to the critical

importance of salvation in religion in general, Islam fails to qualify as a

credible religion. Islam fails with respect to salvation, and, thus, any

other successes are moot; Islam fails in this point, and, thus, it fails in

all points.

POSTSCRIPT: EXCLUSIVITY

One of the more interesting asides, on the topic of Islamic salvation, it

the question of exclusivity: is Islam the one exclusive way of salvation.

Whether a religion is exclusive or not is an interesting trade off: if a

religion is not exclusive, the religion gains points for tolerance and

openness but it then lacks the power to convert people, who might

just as easily believe in another religion. If a religion is excusive, it

loses points for narrow-mindedness and intolerance but it justifies

belief in that faith, over and above belief in other faiths. Many

Muslims currently hold that Islam is the only way of salvation. They

base this view on the various, believe in the prophet and his

revelation, verses. However, it is possible that these verses apply

only to Muslims, while Jews and Christians have different beliefs and

practices based on their own revelations: each to his own. There

are various reasons for believing this to be true: The Quran attaches

Jews and Christians (people of the book) with protected status. TheQuran oftentimes mentions, unbelievers, however, there is not

reason to think that Christian and Jews are lumped into this category,

since they are believers in Gods revelations. Jews and Muslims

coexisted and cooperated peacefully in Medina. Many Islamic

traditions were inspired by Jewish traditions; Mohammad introduced

these traditions as a way to develop a connection to Judaism. The

prohibition of pork is one example. Muslims originally faced

Jerusalem, not Mecca, while praying. The fast originally coincidedwith the Jewish festival, Yom Kippur. The Muslim day of worship


22/22

21

(Friday) was specifically chosen not to interfere with the Jewish

Sabbath (Saturday). Additionally, Mohammad told his followers to

marry Jews as he did himself. One verse states that right-acting Jews

and Christians will have nothing to fear on the Judgement: Low!Those who believe and those who are Jews, and Sabians, and

Christians whosoever believers in either at the last day and doeth

right there shall be no fear come upon them neither shall they

grieve. (5:69) The Quran never states that the Jewish or Christian

revelations are corrupted as many Muslims commonly believe

although it does attack particular teachings: the crucifixion, the

trinity, the incarnation, etc. It seems, rather, that Mohammad

criticised only disobedient Jews and Christians; those who did not live

up to their own principles. Thus, it is highly unlikely that Mohammad

envisioned Islam as the one exclusive religion. The idea that Islam was

the only way of salvation arose during the Ridda wars wars lead by

Abu Bakr, after Mohammads death, intended to quell certain upstart

holy men and make small nearby tribes pay their taxes to the

fledgling Islamic state. Thus, Islam appears to fall into the non-

exclusive category, as one true religion amongst a few others. If this is

so, then one wonders why anyone would convert to, or remain in, a

religion that is so deficient with regards to salvation, when they might

just as easily convert to another. If one prefers salvation by works,

then Jews have a far more organised code of behaviour in the Torah.

If one prefers grace (which is inevitably followed by works), then

Christians offer a more attractive alternative.

Salvation in Islam

Documents

Transcript of Salvation in Islam